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Downtown Park CPA ApplicationCOMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECT APPLICATION COVER SHEET I: Project Information Project Title: City Hall Park Development Project Summary: The Office of Planning and Development is seeking CPA funds to create a new park in front of City Hall into a 'pocket park. CPA funds will be used for design, for moving the curb and sidewalk into what is now Main Street to free up space for a park, and to the extent that funding allows, begin construction of the park itself. Estimated start date: June, 2011 Estimated completion date: June, 2013 CPA Program Area (check all that apply): Open Space Historic Preservation Community Housing Recreation II: Applicant /Developer Information Property Owner (if applicable): City of Northampton Organization (if applicable): Northampton Office of Planning and Development Mailing Address: 210 Main Street, Room 11 Daytime phone 413 587 -1265 Fax 413 587 -1264 Contact Person and or /primary applicant: Wayne Feiden E -mail address: wfeiden @northamptonma.gov III: Budget Summary CPA funding request: $100,000 (this phase) CPA request as percentage of total budget: 60% Total budget for project: $165,000 (this phase) Applicant's Signature: axylk Date Submitted: February 7, 2011 Downtown Park Development CPA Application 1 Downtown Park Development: CPA APPLICATION, ROUND 1, 2011 Narrative: CPA funding is being sought to develop the Main Street area in front of City Hall into a pocket park. Main Street serves both as the main thoroughfare for vehicular traffic, and the downtown business district. Main Street is extremely wide through the entire length of the downtown, and this excessive width has been called out by professional consultants as a detriment to downtown planning efforts. The paved portion of Main Street and Crafts Avenue are unsafe. The crosswalk forces pedestrians to cross at the widest point, which causes delays, and creates potential for accidents. Eastbound vehicular traffic rarely travels as far as the curb. It is essentially possible at most times of day to sit in the road between City Hall and Crafts Avenue without fear of being hit by a car. The project will reclaim a portion of Main Street for curbs, sidewalk, and street furniture, and in doing so make the street safer. More important for community preservation, however, is that this "consideration" of moving the sidewalk will free up the current sidewalk and street furniture area in front of City Hall for active public use, creating greenspace, reducing impervious surface, and reducing traffic hazards, delays and accident potential at the same time. The land is located within the right -of -way owned by the City, so no acquisition is needed, but the consideration of the moving of the sidewalk will allow us to make the land a permanent park. The project will move the curb and sidewalk out; creating an eastbound travel lane that is more consistent with its width elsewhere in the downtown. A ten foot streetscape area, which is currently absent from City Hall, will be created, and the remainder of the newly created space will be established as a pocket park. City Hall, which is centrally located within the downtown area, already serves as a gathering space, and its steps are crowded in all types of weather. City Hall serves as the natural focal point of the downtown area due to its key location at a bend in Main Street that is visible as downtown is approached from either direction. CPA funds will be used for design and basic layout, and additional funding will be sought from other sources for construction. The park will be a highly visible feature which should receive a lot of public use, and its creation will also affect the layout of Main Street. An extensive public planning process will be conducted to allow for input into the exact layout and features contained within the park. Once created, the park will be protected by a Conservation Restriction held by a third party. The project meets many of the Criteria contained in Northampton's Community Preservation Plan: General Criteria: Serves more than one CPA program area The project serves both the open space and recreation program areas. Downtown Park Development 2 CPA Application Contributes to the preservation of Northampton's unique character, boosts the vitality of the community, and enhances the quality of life for its residents Downtown Northampton is unique in both the region and the state. Its diversity, walkability, shops and restaurants all contribute to its sense of place, and help lead to it being named as a favorite place in many national surveys. The project will add to this character by creating a new open gathering space for residents and visitors to enjoy. It will encourage people to linger, sit, and people -watch in a setting designed specifically for that purpose. Successful initiatives in other cities have shown these types of parks to increase pedestrian traffic and safety, and contribute to downtown businesses. Addresses recommendations contained in the Sustainable Northampton comprehensive plan and /or the Northampton Open Space and Recreation Plan 2005 -2010, Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan 2011 -2017 (draft, as of July 1) or is consistent with other city -wide planning efforts that have received broad -based scrutiny and input and can demonstrate wide community support "Pavement to Parks" was called out as an objective in the Open Space, Recreation, and Mixed Use Trail Plan. The Plan noted that very few sites are appropriate for this type of reclamation of developed areas, but the effect on those sites can be dramatic. A City Hall Park was specifically called out as one of these sites: "A very small park in front of City Hall would create significant aesthetic, safety, and park opportunities. But reclaiming some land from Main Street and Crafts Avenue, which are unsafe for pedestrians because they are too wide, and park can solve traffic safety challenges and fill a deficiency in downtown parks. Such an urban park, if well designed with careful attention to layout, landscaping, seating, and people- watching can become one of those places residents cherish." Serves under served populations Land protection efforts in large wooded parcels in outlying areas have critical, lasting effects on wildlife habitat, resource conservation, viewshed protection, and provision of recreation opportunities. A downtown park is much smaller, and serves a different set of goals. However, it will serve a much greater number of residents, and will also benefit those who are unable, or find it difficult to access, other open space areas. Places high value on sustainable, ecologically responsible, energy conserving structures, locations, and materials; demonstrates that the project minimizes the ecological footprint The park will reduce the amount of impervious surface in front of City Hall, and should also reduce idling time by cars stopped for pedestrians, as the length of the crosswalk will be reduced. Downtown Park Development 3 CPA Application Receives endorsement by community groups, municipal boards and /or departments The project is supported by the Office of Planning and Development, the Transportation and Parking Commission, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee Leverages additional public and /or private funds, or demonstrates that other funding sources are not readily available or sufficient, The only acquisition cost associated with the park's creation is moving the curb, street furniture, and sidewalk from its current location to a new more northerly location, as the right -of -way is already owned by the City. Additional leveraging will be provided by staff time in the Office of Planning and Development, and ongoing maintenance of the Park, once created, will be provided by the DPW and BID. Demonstrates a high benefit /cost value Parks in downtown locations are utilized by high numbers of people, so the impact per dollar invested is very great. Can be implemented expeditiously and within budget Work on the project can begin as soon as funding is awarded. Open Space Criteria: Provide valuable open space opportunities in urban neighborhoods Recreation Criteria: Support multiple active and passive recreation uses Serve a significant number of residents Expand the range of recreational opportunities available to Northampton residents of all ages Maximize the utility of land already owned by Northampton Downtown Park Development 4 CPA Application Project Budget: The goal of this phase of the project is to conduct the public outreach and planning process, hire a design consultant to finalize the layout of the park, and conduct as much construction as possible, including relocation of the curbing and sidewalk. These estimates are not firm and funds may be moved between categories as more information becomes known about the park. Project Timeline: Survey, public outreach and discussion, full design: Summer Winter 2011 Construction: 2012 Feasibility: No permits are required. Engineering to meet traffic safety and design standards and City Council approval are required. The Transportation and Parking Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, DPW Director, Police Chief, Planning Director, Parking Manager, and City Transportation Consulting Planner have all supported the project and agree it is feasible. Attachments: Conceptual plan of the Park Photographs of the area as currently laid out Satellite Image of Current Layout Support letter: Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee of Transportation and Parking Commission Other Letters to Be Provided When Received Downtown Park Development 5 CPA Application CPA Portion Match Total OPD Staff Time 0 $15,000 $10,000 Value of Land 0 $50,000 $50,000 Design Consultant (unused funds will be used for construction) $40,000 $40,000 Construction (design overrides will be funded from this line item) $60,000 $60,000 Future Phases are not included in this budget estimate because they depend too much on what the public vision for a park is, which will be determined through the design phase included in this project. TOTAL $100,000 $65,000 $165,000 Project Budget: The goal of this phase of the project is to conduct the public outreach and planning process, hire a design consultant to finalize the layout of the park, and conduct as much construction as possible, including relocation of the curbing and sidewalk. These estimates are not firm and funds may be moved between categories as more information becomes known about the park. Project Timeline: Survey, public outreach and discussion, full design: Summer Winter 2011 Construction: 2012 Feasibility: No permits are required. Engineering to meet traffic safety and design standards and City Council approval are required. The Transportation and Parking Commission, Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, DPW Director, Police Chief, Planning Director, Parking Manager, and City Transportation Consulting Planner have all supported the project and agree it is feasible. Attachments: Conceptual plan of the Park Photographs of the area as currently laid out Satellite Image of Current Layout Support letter: Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee of Transportation and Parking Commission Other Letters to Be Provided When Received Downtown Park Development 5 CPA Application Covered bicycle storage and media boxes Native Ferri Mix City Hall Square: Main Focus Area Native wildflower mix Small Flowering Accent Tree Central corridor space used for art installations s as Curb cuts to collect stormwater runoff Bioswale Covered bicycle storage Widened pedestrian corridor Bioswale Large shade tree Multiuse lawn areas Parallel parking Native wildflower mix Intimate seating area Native shrub mix Drawn by. Ryan Ball MLA Candidate 2012 UMass Amherst 9..i NA'" LANDSCAPE PLAN L2 Main Street at City Hall: Current Layout Main Street Crafts Avenue Intersection Difficulty Making a Left from Main Street City Hall Crosswalk Width Creates Accident Potential Main Street Crafts Avenue Intersection Main Street at City Hall Lots of Impervious Surface, No Treebelt RE: City Hall Park CPA Application PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CITY OF NORTHAMPTON planning conservation zoning northampton GIS historic community preservation central business architecture Ms. Katharine Baker Northampton Community Preservation Committee 210 Main Street, Room 11 Northampton MA, 01060 Dear Ms. Baker and Committee Members: 413 -587 -1266 The Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee of the Transportation and Parking Commission supports the creation of a pocket park in the area in front of City Hall. Main Street is dangerous and excessively wide at this point, and creating a park here will increase safety for bicycles and pedestrians. A park will also create a new gathering space within the downtown, create a tree belt where none currently exists, and will add an attractive addition to Main Street in the downtown's natural focal point. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend that the CPC will consider funding the City Hall Park CPA project. Thank you. Sincerely, Wayne Feiden, FAICP Director of Planning and Development Staff, Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee City Hall 210 Main Street, Room 11 Northampton, MA 01060 www.NorthamptonMa.gov Fax 413 587 -1264 original on recycled paper